1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fences and in particular, to a slotted cap for corner or support posts of chain link or xe2x80x9cCyclonexe2x80x9d (trademark) or xe2x80x9cHurricanexe2x80x9d (trademark) fences. In a preferred embodiment the slotted fence post cap is characterized by a cylindrical cap wall which is topped by an inverted cone and mounted on a fence post or posts of the fence. A horizontal adjusting slot extends through the cap wall, typically about 180 degrees around one side thereof, and a fixed nipple extends from the cap wall on the opposite side of the adjusting slot. The horizontal top rail of a fixed fence segment is fitted in the fixed nipple. A bolt which extends from an adjustable nipple is seated in the adjusting slot, and the adjustable nipple receives the horizontal top rail of an adjustable fence segment. By sliding and tightening the bolt in the adjusting slot, a selected angle of the adjustable fence segment with respect to the fixed fence segment can be achieved in construction of the fence. A second adjustable nipple can be fitted to the adjusting slot to facilitate angular positioning of two adjustable fence segments and a fixed fence segment with respect to each other, as desired. In another embodiment, an adjusting slot is provided in each side of the cap wall, and each receives at least one adjusting nipple. In still another embodiment, multiple adjustable nipples can be fitted to multiple slots intermittently provided in the horizontal plane of the cap wall with or without a fixed nipple or nipples extending from the cap wall, to facilitate extending fence lines or segments in varying angular relationship with respect to each other and/or one or more fixed fence segments from a common corner post.
Conventional fence post caps are characterized by one or more extending nipples or receptacles for receiving the respective horizontal top rails of two or more fence lines or segments extending from the corner posts. These nipples typically extend in fixed relationship from the cap, normally at a ninety-degree angle with respect to each other in order to define the usually right-angle fence configuration at the comer post. However, on many occasions the area to be fenced is irregular in shape and various angles other than ninety degrees must be defined at the corner posts in order to accommodate the respective fence segments or runs. This facility requires the use of fence post caps having fixed projecting nipples at specified angles which are not always those angles necessary or required to precisely define the land area being fenced. While the conventional fixed nipple configuration of comer fence post caps generally proximates desired angles, frequently the fencing must be slightly curved or otherwise adjusted to accommodate the land area in question.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of fence couplings have been long known in the prior art. Typical of these couplings is a xe2x80x9cCoupling for Railingsxe2x80x9d, detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 699,509, dated May 6, 1902, to Finnegan. The patent details a coupling for connecting hand rail segments of a hand rail for stairs, which coupling includes threaded T-fittings and end fittings that are joined at the railing intersections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,907, dated Apr. 24, 1979, to Thumauer, details a xe2x80x9cStanchion Connector Assemblyxe2x80x9d which is adapted to provide an anchor for the terminal end of a ramp rail. The stanchion includes a curved slotted ball attached to a vertical member and a ramp rail attached to a ball receptacle which is attached to the opposite curved face of the ball to facilitate adjustment of the ramp rail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,232, dated Aug. 30, 1988, to Francis, details a xe2x80x9cHinge Joint For Tubular Rail and Post Membersxe2x80x9d. The hinge joint includes a segmented fitting having a curved end for attachment to the congruent surface of a vertical pipe member, and the opposite end of the segmented fitting is slotted and curved to receive a correspondingly-slotted and curved horizontal pipe member for attaching the horizontal pipe member to the vertical pipe member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,169, dated Aug. 20, 1996, to Russell, details a xe2x80x9cFence Assembly With Swivel Bracketxe2x80x9d. The fence assembly includes vertical posts and horizontal rails connected to each other by adjustable connecting members. Each connecting member is characterized by a fitting fixedly attached to the vertical post, and the fitting has a hollow interior with a removable top cap to facilitate inserting an end of the rail into the fitting. The rail is pivotally bolted to the fitting before replacing the top cap. U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,447, dated Jul. 28, 1998, to Fonti, et al., details a xe2x80x9cConnector for Structural Apparatusxe2x80x9d which is characterized by a split ring for bolting to a vertical post and a saddle adapted to fit on one segment of the split ring and receive a horizontal rail to mount the rail on the post.
An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved fence post cap for fence posts, which fence post cap facilitates selected angular positioning of at least one fence segment or line of a fence with respect to another fence segment or line of the fence.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fence post cap which is mounted on corner or support posts of a fence and facilitates fencing of a land area that has an irregular shape.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved fence post cap for fence support posts, which fence post cap is characterized by an adjusting slot extending through a cylindrical cap wall parallel to the bottom edge of the cap wall for accommodating at least one adjustable nipple; and at least one fixed nipple extending from the opposite side of the cap wall, wherein the horizontal top rail of an adjustable fence segment is mounted in the adjustable nipple or nipples, respectively, and the horizontal top rail of a fixed fence segment is mounted in the fixed nipple to facilitate positioning the adjustable fence segment or segments in a selected angular relationship with respect to each other and the fixed fence segment in construction of a chain link or cyclone fence.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved, slotted fence post cap for capping the corner post in fences such as chain link fences, which cap includes multiple intermittent slots for each receiving an adjustable nipple and extending two or more fence runs or legs in selected angular relationship with respect to each other.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved, slotted fence post cap for capping the corner post in fences such as chain link fences, which cap includes a fixed nipple extending from one side of the cylindrical cap for receiving the horizontal top rail of a fixed fence segment and multiple intermittent slots provided in spaced-apart relationship to each other in the cap for each receiving an adjustable nipple and extending one or more fence runs or legs in selected angular relationship with respect to each other and the fixed fence segment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a slotted fence post cap for capping a post of a fence such as a chain link fence, which cap includes at least one adjustable nipple fitted to each of two horizontal adjusting slots provided in respective sides of the cylindrical cap wall to facilitate adjustment of the adjustable nipples and attached adjustable legs or segment runs of the fence at a selected angular relationship with respect to each other.
These and other objects of the invention are provided in a new and improved, slotted fence post cap for capping fence support posts and comer posts in particular, which slotted fence post cap is characterized in a first preferred embodiment by an adjusting slot provided in a cylindrical cap wall and extending substantially parallel to the bottom opening of the cap wall for accommodating at least one adjustable nipple, and a fixed nipple extending from the cap wall opposite the adjusting slot. The adjustable and fixed nipples facilitate the installation of a pair of fence segments or runs at a selected angular relationship with respect to each other. In another embodiment, a pair of adjusting slots are provided in the cap in diametrically-opposed relationship to each other and a pair of fence segments can be fitted to the respective adjusting slots for angular adjustment with respect to each other. In still another embodiment, at least one fixed nipple is provided on the fence cap for attachment to the horizontal top rail of a fixed fence segment and multiple intermittent slots with respective adjustable nipples are provided on the fence cap for attachment to the top rails of respective adjustable fence segments and installing the adjustable fence segments at selected angles with respect to each other and the fixed fence segment. In yet another embodiment, multiple adjustable nipples can be fitted to multiple slots intermittently provided in the horizontal plane of the adjustable cap, around the circumference thereof to facilitate extending fence lines or segments in varying angular relationship with respect to each other from a common corner post.